Writing Forum

Jo,

I'm not sure why I'm not more familiar with Babylon-5. I recall seeing a bit of it, but I didn't keep up. Odd.

But generally, to the topic, and more specifically to my own writing, I can confess a couple of things. Firstly, I have not routinuely written to a predetermined, plotted, ending. And two, I do believe that I have finished very little as a result. I believe, too, that character driven writing leaves one much more to one's own resources by way of being smart, or kind, or compassionate, or any of a great many other positive character traits. If you follow your character on a journey of discovery you can not help them with predetermined prescience supplied by plotting.

I also confess that I enjoy the TV Show "Castle," perhaps because Nathan Filian starred first on Firefly. Perhaps it is because it is not very demanding. The plot is scripted and you follow twists and turns that the characters could not possibly be able to anticipate. They think one thing, sometimes deducing it in error from incomplete information, and on and on it goes and no matter how smart a watcher might be he is not supplied with the information to know if the character's conjecture has merit. (except consulting the clock to see if it is time for the last twist.) I have thought that it should be a bit insulting...

... but I am not and tune in each week.

I guess I site this as an example, like the others, of things that seem to work in fiction. I'm trying to draw to mind more of these connections and see if I can piece together a way to do the things I witness.

Time calls me away, but I will continue to think.

LSO